1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display system (e.g., a display system for use with an instrument panel) mounted on a moving object (such as a vehicle), which is maneuverable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a display system that displays, on a display (a display section), an image in addition to images of vehicle information including a traveling speed and engine rotation frequencies has been proposed as a display system mounted in an instrument panel of an automobile or the like. The image additionally displayed on the display system may be an image of navigation, TV, or DVD or an image captured by a camera (CCD) mounted on a vehicle. High degrees of freedom for screen layout are required of those display systems such that vehicle safety can be increased by displaying, based on a vehicle condition, necessary information in an easily viewable manner or such that users' (vehicle manufacturers and drivers) requirements can be met.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication, Tokukai-Hei, 10-297318 discloses a method for laying out individual images showing vehicle information and the like with high degrees of freedom. However, in order to perform it, a graphics display controller (GDC) must be provided for each image (e.g., images of a speedometer and tachometer), and image data from each graphics display controller respectively must be inputted and displayed.
However, as the number of images to be displayed and data sizes thereof have increased recently, the number of required graphics display controllers has increased; higher processing capacities have been required; and input systems have become more complex, all of which have led to an issue that the cost of the entire display system significantly increases.